Recession or not, radio and television stations here are caught in the glow of a Super Bowl. The last time a New York football team appeared in the Super Bowl was in 2001 when the Giants were spanked by the Baltimore Ravens. Big Blue hasn't won a Super Bowl since 1991 when Buffalo's Scott Norwood kicked 'wide right'. The last time the Jets played in and won a Super Bowl was in the Joe Namath era in 1969. The last time any New York team won a championship was 8 years ago when the Yankees beat the Mets in 2000. Even the New York vs. Boston rivalry has gone the way of Beantown since then. As one New York columnist wrote this week, "Boston not only loves New York, it owns New York." ...
There are some winners that have surfaced this week in New York from the down draft of Super Bowl euphoria - Radio and TV. Stations get 30-second spots during halftime and several more in the second half of the game and there will be local radio and TV pre and post-game shows. The local Fox TV flagship station, WNYW will also reap benefits in their local news programming by selling Super Bowl packages. Holly M. Sanders of The Post, owned by News Corporation, owners of WNYW reports that since the Giants win over Green Bay, WNYW "has nearly doubled their ad package of $500,000 since the team advanced to the big game". WFAN, the radio flagship station of the Giants has also seen a nice increase in sales. Says GM Mark Chernoff, "the phones are ringing off the hook. It's been an enormous increase." All of this comes at a time when sales are generally slow. Not this year. Car dealers and local business wants a piece of the Giants too...
The media has been so Super Bowl giddy that you would think that the Giants are favored by two touchdowns instead of the Patriots. Even the Giant players are spouting off about how they'll beat the Pats. That's what teams that aren't used to reaching the big game do. Meanwhile Bill Belichick, owner of a perfect record and 3 Super Bowl rings studies his film without saying a word...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1929] Pick a number, any number: Jacob Rupert, co-owner of the Yankees announces that in the upcoming season the team will have uniform numbers to help identify the players. The team will use numbers corresponding to the batting order. Strangely enough, to this day, the Yankees are the only team that has never put the players' names on their uniforms...
- 1962] Going to Hall: Bob Feller and Jackie Robinson are elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame...1975] Ralph Kiner is elected to the Hall...1979] Willie Mays gains entrance to the Hall on the first ballot...
- 1968] Suffering a seizure: North Korea seizes the U.S. Navy ship Pueblo, holding the crew for 11 months on suspicion of spying...
- 1971] Boogity, boogity: UCLA loses to Notre Dame and then wins 88 games in a row. The streak ends with a loss to ??? Correct - Notre Dame...
- 1973] War is over: Richard Nixon announces an accord ending the Viet Nam War...
- 1977] Through the roof: "Roots" debuts as a mini-series and almost half of the country watches the final 2-hour episode (no. 8) when 100 million viewers are on hand. 85% of all TV homes saw all or part of the 7-episodes. Kunta Kinte fan clubs explode: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRtuxjHBmi4 ...
- 1978] Lead poisoning: Chicago's Terry Kath accidentally shoots himself in the head with a pistol he didn't know was loaded. Kath was just 32...
- 1983] Jets crash and burn: The Jets 14-year wait for another AFC Championship (now going on 39 years) ends in defeat when QB Richard Todd is intercepted 5 times in a 14-0 loss to Miami. The Dolphins will advance to the Super Bowl but lose to Washington...
- 1985] Heisman winner gets in: O.J. Simpson becomes the first Heisman Trophy winner elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame...
- 1989] 'Happy Trails': Salvador Dali dies from a heart attack in his native Spain at 84...1997] Richard Berry, writer of 'Louie, Louie" and an R&B performer dies in his sleep at 61...2004] Bob Keeshan a.k.a. 'Captain Kangaroo' dies at 76 after a long illness...2005] Former "Tonight Show" host, Johnny Carson passes away from respiratory arrest at 79. This was Johnny's last TV appearance: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YvaUa559gMw ...2007] Watergate spy figure, E. Howard Hunt, dies from pneumonia at 88...
Music Memories:
- 1968] Number One on this date: "Judy in Disguise (with glasses)" - John Fred & Playboy Band, check out the groovy clothes they wore: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EtUng2PxaAY ...
- 1986] A Hall of a time: The first annual induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is held at the Waldorf Astoria and Norm N. Nite and yours truly were there to see these inductees: Chuck Berry, James Brown, Ray Charles, Fats Domino, Everly Brothers and Jerry Lee Lewis. The late Buddy Holly and Elvis Presley go in posthumously...
- 2002] Mariah kiss-off: EMI gives Mariah Carey a $28 million pay-out to end their association with the singer, who recovers handsomely, with hits like this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LoBdt9L_DPA ...
Commentary:
The lastest update on the tragic death of rising Hollywood star, Heath Ledger is that he apparently accidentally over-dosed on sleeping pills and anti-depressants. An autopsy will be held today to determine the actual cause of death. Whatever it turns out to be, this is really a tragedy. Ledger was only 28 and had a child with his former girlfriend, Michelle Williams. This story broke late yesterday afternoon and the New York media was all over it about an hour after Ledger's body was found in his SoHo apartment...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Mariska Hargitay (44), Anita Baker (50), Monaco's Princess Caroline (51), Cheap Trick's Robin Zander (56), Anita Pointer (60), remember 'Slow Hand'?: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l84d0OkhSIw , Millie Jackson (65), Jerry Kramer (72), Chita Rivera (75) and former Sen. Frank Lautenberg (84)...
Timeline Countdown: 11 days until the Super Bowl, 18 down and 1 to go for the Patriots and 22 days until pitchers & catchers voluntarily report...
